Strength
by TeslaJo
Summary: When Gohan helps Videl out on an unusual case, he finds trouble in ways he never expected.
1. I Need a Nerd

I don't own DBZ and I wrote this just for fun. I normally like to fit stories into continuity of the original story, but I'm almost positive I won't be able to do that this time. I'm cool with that though since this seems like a fun fanfiction to write. I would also like to thank my best friend for being a beta-reader for me on this.

Part 1

Videl was used to being called in to assist the police, however this request was a little different from normal. She was asked to take part in an undercover sting operation. After hearing the details, the detective in charge asked if she knew anyone else who would fit the profile, could be trusted, and would be willing to help. After careful consideration of her friends, the only one that she felt able to ask was Gohan.

That day at school she kept studying him, trying to determine whether she should ask him or not. She knew he was a "good guy". He was very kind, polite, had a sense of justice. Even though she _knew_ there was something odd about him, something that he was hiding, oddly enough at the same time she also _knew_ she could trust him.

Meanwhile, Gohan had noticed that Videl's attention seemed to be focused on him and not class. Of course this was hardly unusual. It was a favorite pastime of hers to try to solve the puzzle of Son Gohan. Right before the end of class, she seemed to reach a decision and whispered to him that she wanted to meet with him privately after school. Normally when she asked this, he tried to figure a way out of avoiding her since the meeting usually involved a grilling, but this time it seemed different so he was actually patiently waiting for her at his locker after school.

What she asked him came as a surprise and he couldn't help but wonder if she had asked him because she had figured out his "SaiyaMan" identity. However, as she explained more, it was not for this identity she had picked him, but for the reputation he had in school; the rather nerdy, kinda wimpy bookworm that Sharpner declared him to be.

As she told him more about it, he found out why he would work well in this undercover case. A strange clinic had sprung up that advertised a "get strong quick" program. What made the police question it was the strange personality changes some of the clinic's patrons had undergone. Even more suspicious was the large number of clients who ended up on missing person reports.

After agreeing to help, she introduced him to her police contacts. He found out that they planned on using him because they were afraid Videl would be recognized and the culprits might be suspicious of her. The police wanted to bust the clinic right away, but needed some more evidence before they could.

The plan was for Gohan and Videl to go to the clinic on the upcoming Saturday. Videl was going to wear a wire. They didn't want Gohan to have to worry about one. Also, they felt if the wire was discovered on Videl, that it could be explained away easier without compromising their operation. (If confronted, she was simply scoping out the place for her father to see if it lived up to its claims and whether or not any of his competition was using the facility.) The officers also didn't know whether Gohan and Videl would have to make several visits to the clinic to get enough evidence or if they would be able to signal them for the bust on the first visit.

Luckily it was already Thursday and Saturday was fast approaching. Gohan decided not to tell his mother what was going on. He correctly assumed that she would forbid him from doing it, never mind the fact that bullets couldn't hurt him. He simply told her he was planning on going out with a friend on Saturday. The reaction that is was Videl was quite interesting. She started out ranting about him going out with a girl then changed in mid-rant to dreamy comments about _Grandchildren_. Gohan just sighed to himself and let her be. Whatever, just as long as she wasn't forbidding him to go out.

At last Saturday arrived. Gohan met with Videl at the station. The detective went over everything once more with them and tested the wire Videl had hidden on her person. They weren't too worried about Videl, but to Gohan they stressed not putting himself into danger and not to take any chances. A van brought them to the clinic. It parked a few blocks away. Videl was to go in first and a few minutes later Gohan would follow. The men in the van told him when she went through the door. An uneasy feeling started to creep up Gohan's spine. It just got worse the closer he got to the building. Unconsciously, he lowered his ki. He didn't know if it was his senses alerting him to a specific danger or just a premonition, but fear for Videl kept him going forward like nothing was wrong.

When he walked inside, it looked like a gym. There was a large number of people working out on various pieces of equipment throughout the open room. It really _did _look like a standard gym. There were quite a few BIG guys walking around in work-out clothes with the clinic's logo on them. Videl was talking to one of them at a desk. As Gohan approached the desk, she walked back to a chair to finish filling out some papers. He walked up to the desk and smiled at the large muscular man behind it (whose nametag proudly proclaimed him as "POP") and began to inquire about the program.

It was explained to him that he needed to fill out a detailed application that would determine which specific program he would take part in. He thanked the man named POP and walked over to the set of chairs where Videl and two other guys were working on their papers. Gohan found it interesting that besides the general questions the application also had an essay question asking, "Why do you want to get stronger?"

Gohan surreptitiously sneaked peeks at Videl's essay. Evidently, she had been recognized when she came in because she started hers out with "As the famous daughter of a famous Martial Artist…" The basis of her argument was actually quite funny to Gohan. She said she wanted to become stronger than her father so she could date anyone she wanted. Her father apparently was worried about her ability to fend off the unwanted advances of a strong guy and if she dated a weakling he wouldn't be able to protect her from the afore mentioned types advances either. If however she became stronger than her father she could date any type of man she wanted by virtue of her own strength.

Gohan's essay said that basically as a bookworm most of the guys and even the girls in school didn't take him seriously. He wanted to become stronger so he wasn't so hesitant when it came to physical activities. As Gohan finished up he noticed the other three had already finished and were still waiting in the chairs. When he brought up his papers to the desk another of the uniformed work-out guys (this one dubbed COLA) walked to the chairs and told the four he would give them a tour of the facility and answer some of their questions. They were shown various work-out areas like the one in front, locker rooms, and some assessment stations where they would be tested and determined healthy for their routines. All in all, it looked mostly like a typical gym with its own private physicians.

There were however some discrepancies and the bad feeling never left Gohan. As time passed the sensation of wrongness seemed to grow. Most worrisome was the strange energy signature coming from an area of the facility that they were not shown in the tour. It seemed to consist of a hallway and a series of doors. Also, spaced throughout the building were some odd looking doorways. He couldn't say exactly what was odd about them, at least not without making a pointed examination of them. If these things weren't enough to make him paranoid, he noticed there were quite a few cameras to keep an eye on everyone and everywhere they went. As the tour ended they were led back to the chairs to wait for POP to schedule their appointment times individually.

A figure in a lab coat sat at his desk. His room was filled with various monitors. Some were video monitors showing members of the clinic and others were computer screens providing a constant stream of information. A knock at his door interrupted his viewing pleasure. One of the work-out boys came into the office and bowed his head to the man behind the desk.

"So, Soda, any interesting ones today?"

"Actually, there were two, Doctor. One is Satan Videl, daughter of Satan Hercule."

"_Really_? It is interesting that she came here, but not surprising that she's a candidate. However, I had heard that she sometimes works with the police. Any reason to be suspicious of her interest in our program?"

"After reading her application, I'd say no." Soda handed the man Videl's papers. "From everything I've heard about her, the reason she is here is legit, what with her father being as well known as he is."

"Fine, who's the other candidate?"

"Oh, this one I think will really interest you." He handed a second folder to his boss.

"Heh, heh, another scholarly type wanting some muscles, but why does this one have you smirking. I know they've been rather good candidates so far, but what makes him so special?"

"Just take a look at his energy reading and I think you'll agree with my assessment."

The seated man quickly perused the file. His eyes widened and he looked up at his muscle bound henchman. "What?! Are you sure this is right?"

"As you can see, although the readings fluctuate a bit, he seems to carry a naturally high amount of energy."

"Yes he does, and what a pity that the wonderful energy is being wasted on someone who would rather not use it-he'd rather just sit in the library."

"Not anymore since he's here."

"Ah yes," the doctor paused to look at the name scrawled on the file. "Son Gohan would like to become stronger and we'll show him that he can be stronger, right before we take all that lovely energy away from him."

"So when do we enroll them in the program, Doctor?"

"Why not today?"

"Sir?"

"Giving the girl preferential treatment is only fitting considering who she is. And the boy, it would be a shame to let that one get away. Make it so."

"Yes, Doctor, I'll have Pop schedule their first sessions today. "


	2. I Need a Guinea Pig

Part 2

Gohan and Videl watched patiently as the others were given appointments. Their names however were not called. Finally, a third man (SODA Three Years of Service) approached the two of them. "Miss Satan, Mr. Son? My name is Soda, would you please follow me?"

"Where are we going?" Videl demanded to know.

"Our Program Head would like to meet with you. He looked over your applications and wondered if you would be interested in a special program he is offering. He will explain in more detail when you meet him."

Soda proceeded to lead them down the one hall they hadn't visited during the tour. As they entered this previously neglected area of the facility, Gohan seemed to feel the energy signature he had detected earlier, but it still was mostly hidden from him. However, the uneasy feeling which had troubled him before was certainly increasing. As much as he wanted to leave, as long as Videl remained, wild horses couldn't drag him away.

Inside was an office where a man in a white lab coat was seated behind a large desk with nothing on it but two file folders. Soda bowed and addressed the man. "Doctor, I brought the ones who would fit into the program."

The man nodded which Soda seemed to take as an order to leave. Once they were alone, the man Soda had referred to as Doctor looked over at the two young people sitting rather uncomfortably in the chairs in front of his desk. He steepled his bony fingers in front of him and began, "I'm pleased to meet the two of you. You may call me Doctor Pepper. I'm sure you're dying to hear more about this program. Besides the normal regime, we have something a little different for special cases like yourselves." His gaze seemed just a bit predatory as he said that.

"Miss Videl, as the daughter of Satan Hercule, of course gets special consideration to entering the program. And you," checking the papers on his desk," Son Gohan are just a prime candidate for it." The toothy smile he gave Gohan did little to comfort the Saiyan.

Videl noticing a small bit of unease in Gohan and the doctor's interest in him, tried to shift his focus. "What's so different about this program?" The doctor smiled back at her. "Ah, a very good question. Unlike the regular program, which revolves on slowly building muscles through diet and an exercise program, this is based on a scientific procedure."

At this, Gohan cringed and couldn't help but ask, "Procedure?!"

"Now, now young man, I know what you're thinking, but there are no needles or anything of that sort. In fact, it's completely painless, no discomfort whatsoever."

At the doubtful looks the two teens were giving him, he simply smiled and pressed an intercom button on his desk, "Why don't I just show you what the program entails rather than just trying to explain it? Soda, would you and Cola set up the equipment to show our potentials?"

Videl instantly agreed, sure that this was the evidence they had come looking for. Gohan just wanted to get away from the man. He knew it was ridiculous for him to be feeling so much fear. Its not like the man could really do anything to him, but no matter what he told himself, he couldn't shake the dread overtaking his mind.

They were led back into the hallway and down it through another door. The room beyond had a definite "Mad Scientist" look to it. There were two platforms in the center of the room. The far side of each platform had a wall which reached to the ceiling. Two bars were embedded in the wall about shoulder width apart. On the platform, opposite the wall was a strange array of mirror like objects atop posts set into the floor of the platform. There were cords and peculiar attachments connected to the objects which Soda and Cola were arranging and calibrating. Gohan realized immediately that this room held the strange energy.

The doctor led them to the platform on the right. "Would one of you like to step on the platform to help me demonstrate our program?" Videl turned to Gohan and gave him a nod. She felt that whatever was going on, they were in a better position if she was free to stop anything. The thought of just saying "no thanks" to the doctor and being on her way to get the police never even crossed her mind. Besides, she really was curious to see what this doctor was trying to do.

Gohan, in no way comfortable with this, kept telling himself that they couldn't do anything to him, and if they tried, he could easily stop them. Soda led him to stand against the wall on the backside of the platform, then instructed him to grab the handgrips. "What are they for?" Gohan asked.

"To make sure you are standing in place," Soda responded. Gohan stood there as instructed and smiled weakly, almost sickly at Videl.

"There that's not so bad is it? All you have to do is stand there like you are," the doctor said to Gohan, almost oozing false compassion. He turned to Videl, "Now these parts here," he showed Videl the mirror parts, "focus the beam on Gohan like this," and with that flipped on a switch. A series of green beams landed on Gohan.

"Um, Sir? What are you doing to me?" Gohan asked nervously hoping that the fear he felt wasn't totally obvious in his voice.

"I told you, completely painless. Just stand there so Miss Satan can get a good demonstration, unless you would like to take part in the demo instead Miss Videl?"

Whatever this guy was trying to do, the last thing Gohan wanted was the doctor to touch Videl in any way, so he shouted back to the doctor, "NO! Um, I mean no, I want to do it, I just wanted you to continue your explanation." After all, he couldn't feel any effects from the beams, they were probably being diffused by his tough Saiyan skin anyway, or would have no effect on him because of his unique biological make-up.

"Moving along, we simply flood the body with these beams. Everyone has a pool of energy to draw from, some however are not very adept at it. These beams are specially designed to help a person access their pool of power therefore making them stronger. If a situation occurs where a person needs to use their strength, they will find it easier to do so."

Gohan thought to himself that he already knew how to tap into his energy just fine without the hokey doctor's help so surely this machine would do nothing to him. However, this definitely could cause problems with the average human taking part in the program. The thought of people like the Red Shark Gang, who were somewhat strong already, getting an added boost from this machine and then Videl having to take them on terrified Gohan. He knew Videl in comparison to most humans wasn't weak, but versus those who were affected by this "program", well, that could be dangerous.

Videl had just turned to the doctor to ask him another question when the beam machine powered down. "If you would like to wait to see the rest of the demonstration, Miss Satan, it will begin in about an hour."

"An hour?" Videl questioned.

"Yes. Mr. Son, would you like to take a seat?" he asked, patting on the back of a chair he pushed out for Gohan, "while we wait for the beams to do their magic?"

The smile he gave Gohan sent a chill down Videl's spine. She watched Gohan walk towards her and suddenly felt a bit of trepidation about Gohan being a guinea pig for the doctor. Heck she wasn't sure that this was really what the police had wanted them to do and it certainly wasn't Gohan's place to play lab rat. Feeling guilty for even asking him to help her with this, she tried to look Gohan over to see how he was doing. He didn't seem much different than from before they came into the room. So she continued with her interrogation. "What's the second platform for?"

"That is for collecting extra energy," Doctor Pepper said bubbly. "You see, when one is not used to accessing one's energy, one doesn't know what to do with it at first and could hurt oneself or others with it, so we siphon it away so a person can get used to it in smaller measures until better control is established."

While this conversation continued, Gohan was in his own thoughts. As he first sat in the chair, he felt a small twitch in his own ki. Dismissing it as nerves, he continued to listen to the doctor's explanation until he felt the twitch again. A third spike soon followed. He proceeded to ignore the conversation, instead concentrating on his ki level. Slowly but surely he felt it going up.

Videl studied Gohan, she was surprised to see him with a frown of concentration on his face. His hands had clenched tightly on the arms of his chair. "How are you feeling Gohan?" she asked. So caught up in what was going on, he missed Videl's second examination and her query.

The doctor noticing her concern waved Soda forward who had a device that he pointed towards Gohan. He gasped at the reading it gave him and turned to the scientist. "Sir this is amazing. Not only is the process starting already, but look at his power, it's rising almost exponentially!"

"Quick, prepare the collector," the doctor ordered Cola, who had been watching silently from the doorway.


	3. Of Mountains & Nametags

Part 3

"OK, this is no big deal," Gohan was telling himself, "it's only reaching about the point I keep it at while in school. THE BIG FRIGGING DEAL IS THAT I DIDN'T SAY IT COULD DO THAT!" Gohan felt himself getting more flustered as the power spiked again a bit higher. "Calm and control, calm and control, calm and control" Gohan started to repeat as a mantra to himself. By this time he had virtually shut out everything else going on around him.

Videl was worriedly watching the doctor's lackeys running around adjusting equipment. She was scared and frustrated. She didn't understand what was going on and could think of nothing to do to help. Gohan was ignoring her queries so deep was he in concentration. When the lackey named Soda yelled, "Ready Doctor!" he pulled Videl from her concerns. At that moment Cola and Pop walked up to Gohan. She assumed they intended to escort him to the platform, however they didn't seem to be having much luck with that task. With an "Outta the way boys," she pushed her way past them. She knelt in front of Gohan and raised his chin enough so that they could look at each other if only Gohan would open his eyes.

Gohan could sense a scurry of activity around him, but wasn't really paying attention. He ignored it all until something tugged at his attention that was truly unusual and worth noticing. He thought he heard a whisper of his name and gradually became aware of a soft caress. Slowly, Gohan pulled himself back to the world going on around him and found himself drowning in a pair of worried blue eyes. Videl was whispering his name as one hand stroked ever so softly against his face. Unable to help himself he tilted his face into her hand much like a cat and for an instant everything else was gone from his mind except her touch. Yet her words were insistant, penetrating even that moment and her whisper of "Gohan, please stand up," bid his mind to wake to the situation.

Gohan finally stood much to Videl's relief. In the back of her mind she noticed the mutilated arms of the chair, but they were dismissed in favor of other matters. She continued her soft murmurs of encouragement as they advanced towards the platform step by step. She could have likened herself to Mohammad with Gohan as the mountain, so slow was their progress.

When they arrived at the platform she helped position him. The groan the structure made when Gohan clutched the handrests alarmed her. Looking at him to see if he had noticed the damage he was causing, she found that she had lost Gohan to his focused concentration again. Dr. Pepper was asking her to move out of their way, so once again she let them work on Gohan by pointing a machine his way. This time there were no visible beams at first, then she noticed a faint golden glow in the air between Gohan and the collector. The longer Videl watched the brighter it grew.

Gohan was not trying to fight the machine. In fact, he was steadily force feeding it the energy. Even so Gohan felt like he was bailing water with a thimble when what he really needed was a bucket. With every step he had taken with Videl to the platform, his power had risen. Right now it was hitting a point of uncomfortable that made the urge to transform really tempting. However that wasn't an option he wanted to consider with Videl in the room. He wasn't ready to give away one of his secrets to her quite yet. If this kept up though, Gohan didn't know if he was going to be allowed a choice.

There was a tremor from within the collector.

Evidently the collector felt it needed to help him come to a decision.

Several words immediately came to mind, most of which Chi Chi would chase him around with a frying pan for even knowing, but only one word crossed his lips.

"Videl."

Meanwhile, Cola had been watching the collector's gauges from the start of the siphoning process. The initial results brought a wide grin to his oafish face. And the numbers kept climbing. "Amazing," he thought, "Gotta love those book worms!" And the numbers kept climbing. "Wow, we've never had this much luck before, Dr Pepper will be thrilled." And the numbers kept climbing. As they edged into the yellow warning zone, Cola's excitement dimmed. The unusually high activity made him call Pop over to confer with him. They watched it move decidedly through the yellow zone towards the red zone. After a brief discussion they decided to call Soda over as well. And the numbers kept climbing. Soda had been standing to the right of the Doctor and looked annoyed to be called away by his compatriots in the middle of the Doctor's moment of glory.

He took one look at the gauges, made a few hurried adjustments, stopped to check for the affect, and then made a few more adjustments. And the numbers kept climbing! He scurried quickly back to Dr Pepper's side. "Sir, we have to abort the process."

"Nonsense, he has plenty of energy yet to share."

Soda glanced quickly at Gohan and then at the gauge clutched in his sweaty fist, "I see that sir. That's exactly the problem."

"What are you blathering on about? How can that be a problem?"

"As you can see Sir, the energy readings are well into the RED!"

"Quit waving that in my face, you know I don't deal with the technical aspects, that's what I have you for."

"In that case, I recommend that we turn the collector off NOW!"

"Poppycock, who's the Doctor here and who's the assistant? Quit trying to spoil the beauty of this moment. The moment of my glorious success. I am the greatest mind this planet has ever known and now I will be the most powerful. Hah! And Dr Gero said I would never amount to more than the lab janitor." He reached into one of the large pockets on his lab coat and pulled out a shiny flask and proceeded to congratulate himself.

"SPOILING YOUR MOMENT OF GLORY! IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK OF ME? After the three years of dedicated service I gave you….I cooked all your meals, I washed your lab coats, wrote your papers, filed your taxes, hid a few a bodies, stole some research, and tucked you into bed at night. The best years of my life and this is what you think of me? That's it! WE'RE THROUGH! AND YOU CAN HAVE THIS BACK SINCE I DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE!"

As Soda chucked the name tag at Dr Pepper's head, he joined Pop and Cola in the doorway leaving the room. If the doctor had been listening to their conversation as they left he would have heard Pop and Cola consoling Soda with thoughts of the future, "Don't worry, Soda. There are plenty of other mad scientists we can work for. I'm sure the next one will appreciate your hard work."


End file.
